Long rotor hydroturbine pump with single end port plug



1966 E. R. DEARDORFF ETAL 3,232,521

LONG ROTOR HYDROTURBINE PUMP WITH SINGLE END PORT PLUG 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 23, 1963 INVENTOR. [2004/ R. DEARDORFF BY DENNIS W. K55;-

A rromvsy 1966 E. R. DEARDORFF ETAL 3,232,521

LONG ROTOR HYDROTURBINE PUMP WITH SINGLE END PORT PLUG 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 25, 1963 INVENTOR ELDON R. DEARDOR FF BY DENNIS M KEEP 16/ A 7' TORNEY Feb. 1, 1966 E. R. DEARDORFF ETAL 3,232,521

LONG ROTOR HYDROTURBINE PUMP WITH SINGLE END PORT PLUG 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 23, 1963 p R I ww O mk Ni? w\ INVENTOR. ELDON R. DEARDORFF BY DENNIS M KEEF Arromvsv e 1, 1 E. R. DEARDORFF ETAL 3,232,521

LONG ROTOR HYDROTURBINE PUMP WITH SINGLE END PORT PLUG Filed Aug. 23, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 I NVEN TOR.

ELDON R. DEARDORFF' BY DENNIS W. KEEP Arromvsv 1965 E. R. DEARDORFF ETA]. 3,

LONG ROTOR HYDROTURBINE PUMP WITH SINGLE END PORT PLUG 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 23, 1965 United States Patent 0 3,232,521 IAIN G RSTOR HYDROTURBINE PUMP WITH SINGLE END PORT PLUG Eldon R. Deardorlf, Milwaulcie, and Dennis W. Kcef,

Portland, Greg, assiguors to Guy F. Atkinson Company, San Francisco, Cali, a corporation of Nevada Filed Aug. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 393,992 2t (Ilaims. (Cl. 23ii79) This invention relates to improvements in hydroturbine gas pumps. A hydroturbine pump is one in which a ring of liquid is caused to rotate in an eccentric casing and form a displacement medium for the gas. Such pumps, which are also known as liquid piston pumps, are used extensively either as vacuum pumps or pressure pumps under low or moderate gas pressures.

In designing large pumps of this type, certain limiting factors are encountered. In the first place, the capacity cannot be increased merely by enlarging all the dimensions of a smaller pump of successful design. The rotor and easing become too large in diameter for economical construction, and peripheral speed limitations impose restrictions on the motor speed, necessitating an unduly large and expensive driving motor which will develop its rated power at a slower speed.

Attempts have been made to elongate the rotor and also to mount a plurality of elongated rotors on a common shaft. Previous experience has indicated, however, that a rotor served by a single port plug in one end must be limited to a length less than half its diameter for efficient operation. This means that a rotor having a length greater than half its diameter requires a port plug in each end and a pair of such rotors on a common shaft must have a double end port plug between the rotors. This makes the pump relatively complicated and expensive to build, involving extra parts and requiring difficult machining operations in order to make all the parts fit together properly.

The general object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide improvements in the rotor and port plug which will permit a long rotor to operate efiiciently with a single end port plug. Another important object is to provide a hydroturbine pump with a single end port plug which can be manufactured either as a single unit with a single rotor and port plug, or as a double unit with a double rotor having a port plug in each end but without a double end port plug between the two rotors.

A more specific object is to provide a hydroturbine pump with a rotor having a length nearly equal to its diameter and having a single end port plug.

Other objects are to improve the efiiciency of hydroturbine pumps, to reduce the number of parts required in pumps of large capacity, to simplify the casing construction and reduce the amount of metal required in the casing, and to reduce the amount of machining required on the casing.

The present rotor has about twice the length/ diameter ratio of conventional hydroturoine rotors which are served by a single port plug. Pumps embodying the invention can he made either as a single unit with a single rotor and port plug having inlet and outlet connections at only one end of the pump, or as a double unit having a double rotor. In the latter case the two rotors, although constructed integrally with each other, are functionally independent of each other and are supplied by separate single end port plugs having inlet and outlet connections at opposite ends of the casing. This eliminates the need for an intermediate or double end port plug between the two rotors and various complicated casing passageways to supply the intermediate port plug. A large capacity is obtained with a casing of more simple construction and containing less metal.

both shaft ends of a single motor.

"ice

The amount of metal becomes important in large pumps constructed of expensive corrosion-resistant materials. An important feature of the casing construction for two lobed pumps is that it is split into two halves on a diametral horizontal plane with the inlet and outlet connections half on each side of such plane. This makes the upper and lower halves of the casing nearly identical so that one pattern with minor alteration may be used to cast both halves. There are no passages in the casing other than those required to conduct the pumpage into and out of the port plug or plugs in the most direct route possible. The pump base is made as a separate casting which may be of less expensive iron or steel. In this way the amount of the more expensive metal is reduced substantially to only that necessary to enclose the rotor.

Machining of interior surfaces of the casing is facilitated by the improved port plug design which allows a larger access opening for the admission of a large boring bar in the port plug end of the casing.

Another advantage is that both single and double pumps of a given diameter will operate at the same speed, allowing them to be driven in tandem as a double unit from one end of a motor shaft or connected as separate units at This simplifies the problem of supplying pumps to meet the requirements of industry.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will become apparent and the invention will be better understood from the following description of two preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, various changes may he made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts and certain features may be used without others. All such modifications within the scope of the appended claims are included in the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a double rotor hydroturbine pump embodying the principles of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional View of the pump shown in FIGURE 1, taken approximately on the line 22 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a half cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the right end of the upper casing section in FIGURE 1 turned over end for end;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the right end of the lower casing section in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the double rotor in the pump of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged side elevation view of the right end port plug in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the port plug shown in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken on the line Itl10 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view taken on the line 11'11 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 12 is an end elevation view of the port plug taken on the line 1212 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 13 is an approximately vertical longitudinal sectional view of a single rotor pump embodying the invention; and

FIGURE 14 is a side elevation view of the port plug in FIGURE 13.

Referring first to FIGURES l and 3, the double rotor pump is contained in substantially identical semi-elliptical upper and lower casing sections 10 and 11. These sections are provided with bosses 12 on their opposite sides. The entire casing is supported on a base member 13 eccentric chamber to accomplish pumping action.

having a flat base plate portion 14 which may be bolted to a concrete foundation. Rest plates 15 on the side wings of base member 13 are adapted to be secured to the bosses 12 of the lower section. The corresponding bosses on the upper section are useful for lifting the upper section.

When the two casing sections 10 and 11 are secured together in assembled relation, they define elliptical rotor chambers having upper and lower lobes 2G and 21 on a major axis A which is vertical. The minor or transverse axis B lies in a horizontal plane which is the joint plane of the two sections 10 and 11. The two sections have longitudinally extending, outwardly projecting flanges 22 and 23 on opposite sides of this plane which are adapted to be bolted together. Similar flanges project from the ends of the two sections.

On one side of one end of the casing is a flanged inlet connection 25 which is split in the horizontal plane of the minor axis B so that the upper half 26 is integral with upper section It) while the lower half 27 is integral with lower section 11. At the opposite end of the casing is another similar split inlet connection, not shown. On the opposite side of the casing in axial alignment with these inlet connections is a pair of outlet connections 3% and 30 each having an upper half 31 and 31' integral with upper section 10 and a lower half 32 and 32 integral with the lower section 11. The joints between the mat'mg parts are suitably gasketed throughout to prevent leakage.

Lower section 11 further includes at each end a semicircular bearing bracket 35 carrying a circular bearing housing 36 for the shaft bearing 37 in FIGURE 2. Rotor shaft 40 is mounted in these bearings at opposite ends of the casing with the shaft end extended for optional connection with an electric motor at either end of the casing.

In order to avoid the necessity for a central bearing, the shaft 40 preferably taper-s toward each end from a thicker central cylindrical portion 41. Mounted on central portion 41 is the hub 42 of a double rotor 43 having blades 44 on one end and blades 44' on its other end. In effect, these blades extend continuously on opposite sides of a central radial dividing plate 45 which divides the rotor into two separate pumps. The rotor is circular and the circular dividing plate 45 runs with close running clearance within radial partition flanges 46 and 47 in the upper and lower lobes 20 and 21. These flanges divide the casing into a rotor chamber 48 for the blades 44 and a rotor chamber 49 for the blades 44'.

Thus, there is no fluid intercommunication between the blades 44 of one pump and the blades 44 of the other pump. The blades 44 define pumping chambers which are supplied by the inlet and outlet connections on one end of the .pump casing while the blades 44 form pumping chambers which are supplied by the inlet and outlet connections on the other end of the casing. The rotors closely fit the interior of the pump casing at the minor or horizontal axis B of the ellipse, with running clearance, but are spaced from the pump casing at the major or vertical axis A in the upper and lower lobes 20 and 21, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4.

As is well known, in a hydroturbine or liquid piston pump a liquid ring is rotated by the rotor blades in an The liquid recedes from the inner portions of certain of the displacement chambers between the blades by centrifugal force as the outer portions of said chambers move toward the major axis and into communication with the lobes, and this recession constitutes a suction stroke to draw fluid to be pumped through the inlet side of the pump which is in communication with the inner portions of said chambers. As the chambers between the blades move out of communication with the lobes and away from the major axis, the liquid ring is forced back into the displacement chambers to perform a compression stroke and force the pumped fluid through the discharge side of the pump which is then in communication with the inner portions of said chambers.

The valving function is accomplished by a stationary central port plug which connects the displacement chambers alternately with the inlet and outlet connections of the pump. In order to make this rotor and port plug combination function efiiciently with a single port plug it has heretofore been necessary to limit the length of the rotor to a dimension somewhat less than half its diameter.

In a two lobe pump as illustrated herein, the suction and compression strokes occur twice during each revolution of the rotor. The present invention is particularly concerned with the novel construction and arrangement of the port plug for connecting the pump inlet with rotor displacement chambers which are in a suction phase and connecting the pump outlet with rotor chambers which are in a compression phase. The rotor is also of special construction to cooperate with the novel port plug. Some of the principal features of the invention are applicable also to single lobe pumps having a single compression stroke and a single suction stroke in each revolution.

FIGURE 6 shows the right end of lower casing section 11 in top plan view and FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the right end of upper section 11.9 turned over and reversed end for end to show its under side which mates with the parts shown in FIGURE 6. It will be remembered that the upper half as of suction connection 25 in FIGURE 5 mates with the lower half 27 in FIG- URE 6 and the upper half 31 of outlet connection 3%) in FIGURE 5 mates with the lower half 32 in FIGURE 6. Referring also to FIGURE 3, it will be seen that lower section 11 contains an inlet chamber 5% which extends to a cylindrical casing port 51 the full width of the inner chamber in an axial direction. Another portion of this inlet chamber comprises the full width chamber 52 in upper casing section It). This chamber leads to an inlet port chamber 53 communicating with cylindrical casing port 54. Chamber 53 is only about half as wide as chamber 52 by reason of a radial dividing wall 55 (FIGURE 2) which is connected with a partition wall 56 extending in a direction longitudinally of the pump shaft.

Lower casing section 11 has a full width outlet chamber at with an outlet port 61 just inside the outlet connection 30. This outlet chamber has a complementary portion 62 in upper section 1% which communicates with an outlet port chamber 63 on the opposite side of Wall 55 from inlet port chamber 53, as shown in FIGURE 2. Chamber 63 has a cylindrical casing port 64. Another longitudinal wall portion 65 separates the chambers 62 and 53. The walls 56, 55, 65 present a Z-shaped configuration, as shown in FIGURE 5, to separate the inlet and outlet chambers and ports. The opposite end of the casing has the same arrangement of passageways and ports to serve outlet connection 30' and the diametrically opposite inlet connection (not shown).

The double rotor construction is shown in FIGURE 7. Only one end of the rotor will be described in detail. The other end contains the same elements with primed reference numerals and is of identical construction. The outer end of the rotor is closed by an annular end plate 70 which is coextensive with the radial extent of blades 44. Intermediate between end plate 7d and the central dividing plate 4-5 is a transverse shroud or partition plate '71 which is preferably of angular configuration as shown. Dividing plate 45 forms a common inner end plate for both sets of rotor blades 44 and 44'. The outer diameter of the hub 42 has an axially extending shoulder or rim 72 which forms an annular recess '73. A plurality of passageways '74 connect the bottom of this recess with radial tubes 75 which extend along division plate 45 to a point close to the periphery of the plate. The periphery of outer end plate 70 turns with close running clearance inside a cylindrical shoulder 76 in the casing sections which defines a recess or end space 77 between the end plate and easing partition wall 78 which separates rotor chamber 48 from the inlet and outlet passages (see FIG- URE 2).

The port plug in FIGURE 2 is shown in detail in FIGURES 8-12. The port plug has a tapered inside wall 81 to clear the shaft 48 and impeller hub 42. The outer end of the port plug has a radial end wall 82 with a peripheral groove 83 for a sealing ring to fit the outer end of a smooth cylindrical bore 84 in the casing sections 10 and 11. The port plug has a generally cylindrical outer wall 85 with another peripheral :groove 86 for a sealing ring to fit the inner end of bore 84. The port plug is retained in this bore and prevented from rotating by a semi-circular mounting flange 87 on bearing bracket 36 which is bolted to the outer end of lower casing section 11 and to end wall 82 of the port plug.

The outer end of the port plug is recessed at 90 to accommodate the shaft seal 91. The inner end of the inner and outer walls 81 and 85 joined together in a circular rim 92 which has close running clearance within shoulder 72 of the rotor. Thus, passages 74 in the rotor hub are placed in communication with an annular space 93 between the rotor shaft and inner wall 81 of the port plug.

Outer wall 85 is skeletonized to provide two sets of inlet and outlet port openings. At the outer end of the port plug are port openings to register with the previously described inlet and outlet ports in the inlet and outlet chambers of the casing, as shown in FIGURE 3. Thus, on one side of the port plug as shown in FIG- URE 8 there is the inlet port 101 to register with casing inlet port 54 and an outlet port 102 to register with easing outlet port 61 (see FIGURE 3). On the opposite side of the port plug there is an inlet port 193 to register with the casing inlet port 51 and an outlet port 104 to register with casing outlet port 64 (see also FIGURE 11).

In the portion of the port plug which extends within the rotor are a divided inlet port 105 and a divided outlet port 1416 (FIGURE 8). Circumferential wall portions 11h between the divided ports register with the inner ends of the radial rotor shroud plate 71, as shown in FIGURE 2. In the inner end of the port plug there is an additional divided inlet port 113 (FIGURE 9) and an additional divided outlet port 114 (FIGURE 4). Inlet and outlet ports 105 and 114 serve the upper lobe 20 (FIGURE 4) and inlet and outlet ports 113 and 1136 serve the lower lobe 21.

Four longitudinal partition walls 116, 117, 118 and 11$ extend from one end of the port plug to the other forming inlet passageways 121 and 121 and outlet passageways 122- and 123 communicating with the respective inlet and outlet ports. These partitions are disposed in an X configuration so as to make the inlet passageways nearly twice as wide as the outlet passageways for most efficient conduct of the purnpage.

Partition 116 has a boss containing a radial inlet passage 124 for introducing sealing and replenishing liquid from an outside connection 125 into annular shaft space 93 (FIGURE 2). All four partitions have bosses containing radial outlet passages 126 arranged to supply such liquid from space 93 to rotor end space 77. Liquid from space 9'3 is also supplied to the inner end of the rotor chamber through passages 74 and tubes 75.

A similar port plug Si? extends through the other end of the double rotor in chamber 49.

This arrangement provides large passageways through the port plug on the low pressure intake side whereas smaller passageways are adequate on the high pressure discharge side where the compressed pumpage occupies less volume. The tapered contour of the port plug passageways allowed by the use of a tapered shaft provides the maximum passage area at the point of maximum purnpage flow. The casing sections 10 and 11 are free of passages for the sealing and replenishing liquid. This liquid is introduced through external connection 125 into the annular shaft space 93 for distribution at both ends of the rotor.

Compartmentation of the impeller by means of the intermediate shroud plate tends to prevent shifting of the liquid ring in axial directions and so provides effective control of the contour of the inner or pumping surface of the liquid ring, thus reducing carry over of pumpage from discharge to suction. Most of the liquid required to replenish the liquid ring is added beneath the inner surfaces of the liquid ring (FIGURE 4) thereby precluding the entrapment of pumpage gas and resultant carry over and re-ex-pansion in the suction phase.

The double rotor pump just described may also be made as a double rotor pump having but a single lobe and embodying most of the features of the invention.

Single rotor pump A single rotor pump embodying the principles of the invention is shown in FIGURES 13 and 14. This pump is the same as the right end of the pump just described except for an additional shroud plate and radial tubes in the rotor and corresponding modification of the port plug.

The casing is split in a horizontal diametral plane whereby it is composed of an upper section 1311 and a substantially identical lower section 131. The inlet and outlet connections, not shown, are split in this plane as shown at 25 and 30 in FIGURES l and 3. The casing is elliptical with its minor axis horizontal and its major axis vertical with upper and lower lobes 132 and 133 forming two separate pumping chambers in a single rotor chamber. The pump is su ported on a separate base member (not shown) as in FIGURE 1.

Bearings 134 and 135 support a cylindrical shaft carrying a rotor 141 which turns with close running clearance within the casing on the minor horizontal axis of the casing. The rotor is supported by a hub 142 at one end which is keyed to the shaft. The hub is generally cone shaped, forming an annular chamber 143 at its outer end. The inner end of the hub has an annular lip or shoulder 14d forming a small annular space or channel 145 which communicates with the annular space 143 through axial passageways 146.

The rotor has blades 15! extending between annular end plates 151 and 152. Annular shroud plates 153 and 154 sub-divide the displacement chambers between the blades so that these chambers do not extend the full length of the rotor. This restricts axial shifting of the liquid ring and maintains its inner surface in a more even contour. Preferably, there are two such shroud plates. Mounted on each shroud plate 153 and 154 are a number of radial tubes 155 which extend from the inner edges of the blades almost to their outer edges.

In the main, the port plug is the same as port plug Stl and corresponding parts are identified by the same reference numerals. In addition, port plug 1641 has a plurality of bosses with radial passages 161 in its four longitudinal partitions extending from its inner wall 81 through a pair of continuous ring sections 162 in its outer wall 85. These passages communicate with peripheral grooves 163 which are in register with the inner ends of tubes 155 on the rotor shroud plates. In the present pump there are four of the tubes 155 arranged at 90 intervals around each shroud plate and four of the passages 151 opening into each groove 163 and arranged the same as the passages 12-6 in FIGURE 10. The inner edges of the shroud plates are flanged at 164 in close running clearance around the port plug rings 162 whereby liquid supplied to the space 165 between the shaft and inner port plug wall 81 maintains a liquid seal between rings 162 and flanges 164.

The end ring 92 of port plug 160 turns with close running clearance within shoulder 144 of the hub whereby liquid in the space 155 fills annular chamber 145 to maintain liquid seal at the end of the port plug. Some liquid passes through passageways 146 into annular chamber 143 from whence it can flow through end space 166 and escape between the peripheral edge of end plate 152 and shoulder 167 in the upper and lower casing sections beneath the inner surface of the liquid ring in the rotor chamber. Tubes 155 convey the liquid from grooves 163 to the outer edges of the blades which are always submerged. This relatively uniform distribution of the sealing and replenishing liquid provides additional control of the contour of the inner surface of the liquid ring,

The inlet and outlet passages in the casing section 136 and 131 are identical with those shown in FIGURES and 6.

The pump in FIGURE 13 may also be made as a single lobe pump embodying most of the features of the invention.

The drawings are made to scale and it will be observed that the length to diameter ratio of a single rotor in both FIGURE 2 and FIGURE 13 is 0.86. The present port plug and rotor construction are of particular advantage in any case where the ratio exceeds 0.5 in a rotor with a single port plug.

Having now described our invention and in what manner the same may be used, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

11. In a hydroturbine pump, a stationary casing, an annular bladed rotor arranged to rotate a ring of liquid in said casing, said rotor having a length/diameter ratio exceeding .5, a rotor shaft for said rotor journaled in said casing, a hub in one end of said rotor supporting the rotor on said shaft, a radially extending shroud plate in said rotor intermediate its ends extending from the inner diameter to the outer diameter of the blades, and a stationary cylindrical port plug surrounding said shaft extending into said rotor from its opposite end and serving the entire length of the rotor.

2. In a hydroturbine pump, an annular bladed rotor erranged to rotate a ring of liquid in the pump, said rotor having a length/diameter ratio exceeding .5, a rotor shaft for said rotor, a hub in one end of said rotor supporting the rotor on said shaft, a radially extending shroud plate in said rotor intermediate its ends extending between the inner and outer diameters of the blades, a cylindrical port plug concentric with said shaft and extending into said rotor from its opposite end, a cylindrical outer surface on said port plug having inlet and outlet ports within said rotor and inlet and outlet ports outside of said rotor, an inner wall in said port plug surrounding and spaced from said shaft and tapering in diameter from its inner end, means for introducing sealing and replenishing liquid into the annular space between said shaft and said inner wall, and means for conveying said liquid to both ends of the rotor at its outer diameter andbeneath the inner surface of said liquid ring.

3. Ir a pump as defined in claim 2, said last means comprising passageways in said hub communicating with said annular space at the inner end of the port plug.

4. In a pump as defined in claim 2, radial tubes on said shroud plate, and means in said port plug for supplying liquid from said annular space to said radial tubes.

5. In a pump as defined in claim 4, an axial flange surface on the inner edge of said shroud plate, a ring surface on said port plug in close running clearance within said fiange surface, and a circular groove in one of said surfaces, said radial tubes communicating with said groove, said last means comprising a plurality of radial passageways extending between said inner wall and outer surface of said port plug and arranged to convey liquid from said annular space to said circular groove.

6. In a pump as defined in claim 2, said means for introducing liquid into said annular space comprising a radial passageway in the outer end of the port plug.

'7. In a pump as defined in claim 3, an end plate on said rotor on said hub, and radial tubes on said end plate, said hub passageways communicating with said tubes.

8. In a pump as defined in claim 3, said hub passageways extending axially through said hub to its outer end.

d. In a pump as defined in claim 1, said shaft being tapered from its center toward both ends and said hub being mounted on said center of the shaft, a second similar rotor integral with said first rotor supported at one end by said hub and extending along the shaft, a common end plate for the two rotors on said hub, and a second similar port plug extending into the opposite end of said second rotor.

1%. A hydroturbine pump comprising substantially identical upper and lower semi-elliptical casing sections joined together on the horizontal diameter of the pump, and inlet and outlet connections on opposite sides of the casing at one end thereof, the upper half of each connection being integral with the upper casing section and the lower half being integral with the lower casing section, and a separate base member connected with said lower section.

11. A pump as defined in claim it), said casing sections having at mid-length an inwardly directed radial flange dividing the interior space into two pumping chambers, one in each end of the casing, one pumping chamber being served by said divided inlet and outlet connections at said one end of the casing and the other pumping chamber being served by similar divided inlet and outlet connections at the opposite end of the casing.

12. A double rotor hydroturbine pump comprising an elongated casing having a pair of rotor chambers therein, a shaft in said casing tapered from its center toward both ends, a pair of bladed rotors in said chambers joined together end to end and having a common end plate between said chambers at the inner ends of the rotors, a common hub supporting the inner ends of the two rotors on said center of said shaft, a radially extending shroud plate in each rotor intermediate its ends, a cylindrical axial bore in each end of said casing, a cylindrical port plug concentric with said shaft mounted in each of said bores and extending inward to said hub, inlet and outlet passageways in the ends of said casing communicating with said port plugs, bearing brackets on the opposite ends of said casing connected to the outer ends of said port plugs, and bearings for said shaft in said bearing brackets spaced from the ends of said casing.

13. A pump as defined in claim 12, said casing comprising substantially identical upper and lower semi-elliptical casing sections joined together on the horizontal diameter of the pump, inlet and outlet connections on opposite sides of the casing at each end thereof, the upper half of each connection being integral with'the upper casing section and the lower half being integral with the lower casing section, and a separate base member connected with said lower section.

1 3. A hydroturbine pump comprising a casing having a rotor chamber and inlet and outlet passageways at one end of said casing, a cylindrical bore in said one end of said casing extending from said chamber to the outer end face of the casing, a shaft extending through said bore, a rotor in said chamber having a hub mounted on said shaft at the opposite end of said chamber from said bore, a cylindrical port plug mounted in said bore, an inner wall in said port plug surrounding and spaced from said shaft and extending to said hub, a radial inlet passagcway in said port plug arranged to convey sealing and replenishing liquid into said shaft space, and means including a passageway in said hub arranged to convey liquid from said shaft space to the periphery of said rotor at its hub end.

15. A pump as defined in claim 14, including a transverse radial shroud plate in said rotor intermediate its ends, radial tubes on said plate, and radial passageways in said port plug arranged to supply liquid from said shaft space to said rotor tubes.

16. A pump as defined in claim 14 including registering inlet and outlet port openings in said port plug and bore communicating with said inlet and outlet passages in said casing, circumferential grooves in said port plug at the inner and outer ends of said bore, and seal rings in said grooves.

17. A port plug for a hydroturbine pump comprising a cylindrical outer wall having inlet and outlet casing ports in one end and inlet and outlet rotor ports extending toward its opposite end, a circular inner wall joined to said outer wall at said opposite end and tapering toward said one end, an annular end wall at said one end interconnecting said inner and outer walls, longitudinal radial partition walls joined to said inner, outer and end walls defining longitudinal inlet and outlet passages communieating with said inlet and outlet ports, respectively, said inlet passages being substantially wider than said outlet passages, a radial inlet passageway for sealing and replenishing liquid in one of said partitions communicating through said inner wall, and radial outlet passageways for said liquid in all of said partitions.

18. A port plug as defined in claim 17, said partitions having an X-shape in cross section.

19. A hydroturbine pump comprising a casing defining a rotor chamber, a bladed rotor in said chamber, a shaft supporting said rotor, a port plug concentric with said shaft extending into one end of said rotor at one end of said casing, a cylindrical bore extending inward from the outer end of said casing at said one end, a cylindrical outer end portion on said port plug mounted in said bore, said port plug being removable axially through said bore, inlet and outlet passageways in said end of said casing communicating through the wall of said bore with inlet and outlet passageways in said cylindrical portion of said port plug, a pair of sealing rings on said cylindrical portion of said port plug engaging the inner and outer end portions of said bore, a removable bearing bracket on said end of said casing overlapping and connected to the outer end of said port plug to position said port plug in said bore, a bearing on said bracket for said shaft spaced from said end of said casing and said end of said port plug, and a bearing supporting the other end of said shaft.

21 A double rotor hydroturbine pump comprising an elongated casing having a pair of rotor chambers therein, a shaft in said casing tapered from its center toward both ends, a pair of bladed rotors in said chambers joined together end to end and having a common end plate between said chambers at the inner ends of the rotors, a common hub supporting the inner ends of the two rotors on said center of said shaft, a radially extending shroud plate in each rotor intermediate its ends extending from the inner to the outer diameter of the blades, a cylindrical axial bore extending inward from each outer end of said casing, a cylindrical port plug concentric with said shaft mounted in each of said bores and extending inward to said hub, said port plugs being removable axially through said bores, inlet and outlet passageways in the ends of said casing communicating with said port plugs, bearing brackets on the opposite ends of said casing connected to the outer ends of said port plugs, and bearings for said shaft in said bearing brackets spaced from the ends of said casing and said port plugs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 953,222 3/1910 Nash 230-79 2,195,174 3/1940 Jennings 23079 2,312,837 3/1943 Jennings 230-79 2,364,370 12/1944 Jennings 23079 2,672,276 3/1954 Adams 230--79 2,928,585 3/1960 Keef et al. 230-79 DONLEY J. STOCK-(ENG, Primary Examiner.

WARREN E. COLEMAN, Examiner. 

1. IN A HYDROTURBINE PUMP, A STATIONARY CASING, AN ANNULAR BLADED ROTOR ARRANGED TO ROTATE A RING OF LIQUID IN SAID CASING, SAID ROTOR HAVING A LENGTH/DIAMETER RATIO EXCEEDING .5, A ROTOR SHAFT FOR SAID ROTOR JOURNALED IN SAID CASING, A HUB IN ONE END OF SAID ROTOR SUPPORTING THE ROTOR ON SAID SHAFT, A RADIALLY EXTENDING SHROUD PLATE IN SAID ROTOR INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS EXTENDING FROM THE INNER DIAMETER TO THE OUTER DIAMETER OF THE BLADES, AND A STATIONARY CYLINDRICAL PORT PLUG SURROUNDING SAID SHAFT EXTENDING INTO SAID ROTOR FROM ITS OPPOSITE END AND SERVING THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE ROTOR. 